'Sledgehammer' winds have led SpaceX to reschedule its launch for Friday

Due to high altitude winds, Elon Musk has announced that SpaceX
will postpone its second launch of the year for this Friday.

"Pushing launch to Friday due to extreme high altitude wind
shear. Hits like a sledgehammer when going up supersonic," Musk
Tweeted.

This is the fourth time in one week — since last Wednesday — that
SpaceX has postponed its mission to launch the Boeing-made SES-9
satellite into space.

SpaceX's spokesperson Phillip Larson added in an email
statement:

"Winds are forecast to exceed acceptable limits through
Thursday. Our team will
continue working with the Air Force’s Launch Weather Officer to
evaluate the best available opportunity for flight in the coming
days.”

Cancellations aren't necessarily a sign that anything is wrong.
And as of Sunday, the Falcon 9 rocket prepped for the mission was
reportedly in good health.

SpaceX is simply being extra careful to make sure everything goes
smoothly once the rocket lifts off the ground.

The reason this launch has garnered such attention is because of
an attempted rocket landing that will swiftly follow take-off.

SpaceX has been trying for over a year now to land the first
stage of its Falcon 9 rockets onto an ocean platform. The attempt
scheduled to take place after Friday's launch will be SpaceX's
fourth try for success.

Despite the fact that SpaceX has stated that it has
low expectations of success, these rocket landings are a
novelty of 21st century spaceflight and worth getting excited
about.